In establishments such as restaurants and bars, it is common practice to permit patrons to “open a tab” for the period of time that the patron is present. In such a case, the patron is permitted to repeatedly order or purchase additional items without having to pay for each additional item or set of items as a separate transaction. The newly-ordered items are “added to the tab” until the tab is “closed out” when the patron has placed a final order or is ready to leave the establishment. All of the purchased items are then totaled up on a single bill and the patron pays it in one single transaction.
The use of tabs is convenient for both the patron and the establishment, but there is a risk to the establishment that the patron will leave without paying. To secure payment of the tab, establishments often request a payment card (typically a credit card but also possibly a debit card, prepaid card or other type of electronic payment token) from the patron, which is then held by the establishment until the tab is closed out. Payment can then be made either using the payment card that has been held by the establishment or by some other means such as cash or a different payment card, and the payment card that has been held by the establishment is then returned to the patron.